'I took the life of an innocent 13-year-old boy': Corey Johnson gets life in prison

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Convicted murderer Corey Johnson has been sentenced to life in prison for the 'sleepover stabbing' murder.

The sentence came after he testified, two-and-a-half hours into his sentencing hearing. He told the court, "I took the life of an innocent 13-year-old boy in the most heinous way possible."

The sentence will be up for review in 25 years, per Florida law.

In November, Johnson was found guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Thursday's sentencing hearing had been postponed from Monday due to Johnson being in a COVID-19 quarantine.

He was convicted of killing Jovanni Sierra on his 13th birthday, and attempting to kill 13-year-old Dane Bancroft and his mother Elaine Simon.

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The stabbings took place at a sleepover in Palm Beach Gardens in 2018. Johnson was 17 at the time.

Johnson eventually testified, saying, “I took the life of an innocent 13-year-old boy. I really, truly am sorry, especially when he had been so nice and generous to me.”

Thursday's hearing began with a picture montage, with music, of the victim.

The first testimony was from Jovanni’s mother, Karen Sierra-Velez. She was 18 and a senior in high school when Jovanni was born. Sierra-Velez testified she fell in love when she heard his heartbeat for the first time.

“I wasn’t ready to say goodbye,” she said. “You knew how to love the world.”

Next, Jovanni’s grandmother spoke. She said she remembers Johnson became jealous when Jovanni opened his birthday gifts during dinner.

“I said to myself, poor kid, he never had love in his life,” she recounted.

“I’m not judging or condemning you,” she said directly to Johnson. “Jesus loves you, too.”

Johnson didn’t show any reaction.

Then, a written statement from Elaine Simon and Dane Bancroft was read aloud. Mother Elaine and son Dane were stabbed, but they survived.

Johnson was best friends with Kyle, the youngest son in the family. Kyle was not injured. “He should not receive anything less than the maximum sentence,” the statement said.

For the defense, Johnson’s grandmother took the stand. She answered questions from the public defender for a much longer time than the previous witnesses. Johnson’s mother didn't appear. She was said to be “very sick” with COVID; otherwise, she would've been in the courtroom.

Johnson’s grandmother described her daughter — Johnson’s mother — as a lost child without any real direction and without goals. She survived a crash when she was 16, and went in and out of deep depression.

Johnson’s grandmother testified Johnson’s mother had been prescribed Xanax to treat her depression, but she would oversleep regularly. That led to the kids missing school. One time, her woke her up to go to volleyball and the mother proceeded to drive off the road.

Meanwhile, Johnson was becoming more withdrawn, according to his grandmother.

Said testified Johnson’s father had been abusive toward his mother.

“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” the grandmother described Johnson’s father. She said he would beat her regularly, but other times he would be “very sweet.”

She did say he loved his son, and they would play video games together. Johnson’s father died from a heroin overdose.

Also, a psychologist for the defense took the stand virtually. He testified there was some planning behind the deadly attack. The defense had tried to use an insanity defense, while the prosecution maintained everything was a “choice” by Johnson.

Corey Johnson was his own final witness. After admitting what he did, he denounced Islamic State, saying he’d done research in jail. He also said he does not expect forgiveness.

During the trial, Johnson did not testify but he was heard confessing on a police body camera.

Then, lawyers from each side debated before Judge Cheryl Caracuzzo, who would be sentencing Johnson.

The state pointed out Johnson was just three-and-a-half months away from turning 18. Had that been the case, he would not have been entitled to any protections given to underage criminals and would’ve been given a mandatory life sentence.

The state recommended life in prison. Johnson spent the past 1,404 days in jail. He wasn't eligible for the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the murder.

Johnson’s defense asked for the minimum: 40 years.

At Johnson’s trial, which took place last October and November, the jury did not deliberate whether Johnson was guilty; they deliberated whether he was sane when he committed the crimes.

Johnson’s defense team argued exposure to violent video games, and brainwashing from ISIS and Nazi propaganda, fueled the teenager’s violence.

The jury took four hours to decide Johnson was guilty of all charges and was sane at the time of the crimes.